Former Cairo resident denied parole in 2001 murder case

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

KINGSTON, N.Y. -- A former Cairo resident convicted in the 2001 murder of Latin Kings gang member J.J. Huntt was denied parole following a hearing last month.

George Faccio, 42, will be eligible for another parole hearing in August 2015. He is currently serving 12 ½ to 25 years in state prison on a felony conspiracy charge. Faccio was found guilty of the felony following a Greene County Court jury trial in April 2002, though he was acquitted of a murder charge.

In their decision, parole hearing officers said they considered Faccio's offense in conspiring to murder someone and his prior criminal record dating back to 1994 before they denied his release. The officers also said they did make note of other factors including a risk assessment, Faccio's disciplinary record and his remorse.

During his hearing, Faccio said he was sorry Huntt died.

"I want to say one last thing, it is not all about me right now," Faccio said. "The victim had a family also. I want to say sorry to the family and everything." He added that he knew Huntt, his mother and his sister.

"Yeah, I knew them all, that is what I am saying," Faccio said. "It is really hurtful because it is like killing your own family member. I got to say, it is really rough the statements and everything that got me down here; it was hard for me, as well as the family to do that. I did 12 years and hoping I get another chance."

Huntt was killed July 1, 2001, in a wooded area of Cairo. Faccio, then 30 and an alleged leader of the region's Latin Kings street gang, drove the car that took Huntt, 23, of Hudson, to the place of his murder.

Latin Kings gang member Danny Rodriguez was convicted after trial of murder for shooting Huntt and was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison. One of the other gang members who was present, Isaac Torres, had pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to 10 years in state prison.

Faccio's twin brother, Daniel Faccio, who was allegedly the upstate leader of the street gang and who was charged with being the one who gave the order to kill Huntt, was acquitted on all charges.

In his hearing, Faccio said he was never a part of the Latin Kings gang. When asked by hearing officers how he got out of the gang, Faccio said, "That was in the streets. I was just hanging out. You can't take me out, I was never in it."

Faccio added that he was not worried about the gangs "and stuff like that" if he was released. He said he is 42 years old and "that is a kid's game and I am not with that."